1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an imaging system including a solid-state imager.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known imaging system includes a solid-state imager (a solid-state camera), a transmitter, and a receiver. The solid-state imager is followed by the transmitter. The transmitter and the receiver are connected via an optical transmission line. The receiver is formed by a camera control unit (CCU). Image signals outputted from the solid-state imager are converted by the transmitter into serial-form digital signals. The serial-form digital signals are changed by the transmitter into corresponding optical signals. The optical signals are transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver via the optical transmission line.
In the known imaging system, the optical signals are changed by the receiver into corresponding serial-form digital signals. The serial-form digital signals are converted by the receiver into original image signals. In this way, the original image signals are recovered in the receiver.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved imaging system.
A first aspect of this invention provides an imaging system comprising an imager outputting an analog green signal, an analog blue signal, and an analog red signal in a predetermined progressive-scanning format; an analog-to-digital converter converting the analog green signal, the analog blue signal, and the analog red signal into a parallel-form digital green signal, a parallel-form digital blue signal, and a parallel-form digital red signal, respectively; a signal converter converting a set of the parallel-form digital green signal, the parallel-form digital blue signal, and the parallel-form digital red signal into a set of a parallel-form digital luminance signal, a first parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and a second parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a signal divider separating the parallel-form digital luminance signal into a first sub parallel-form digital luminance signal and a second sub parallel-form digital luminance signal; a first parallel-to-serial converter converting the first and second sub parallel-form digital luminance signals into a serial-form digital luminance signal; a second parallel-to-serial converter converting the first and second parallel-form digital color-difference signals into a serial-form digital color-difference signal; a first electric-to-optical converter converting the serial-form digital luminance signal into a first optical signal having a first predetermined wavelength; a second electric-to-optical converter converting the serial-form digital color-difference signal into a second optical signal having a second predetermined wavelength different from the first predetermined wavelength; and an optical multiplexer multiplexing the first optical signal and the second optical signal into a multiplexed optical signal, and outputting the multiplexed optical signal to an optical transmission line.
A second aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an imaging system further comprising an optical demultiplexer receiving the multiplexed optical signal from the optical transmission line, and demultiplexing the multiplexed optical signal into the first optical signal and the second optical signal; a first optical-to-electric converter converting the first optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital luminance signal; a second optical-to-electric converter converting the second optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital color-difference signal; a first serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital luminance signal generated by the first optical-to-electric converter into the first and second sub parallel-form digital luminance signals; a second serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital color-difference signal generated by the second optical-to-electric converter into the first and second parallel-form digital color-difference signals; and a signal combining device multiplexing the first and second sub parallel-form digital luminance signals generated by the first serial-to-parallel converter into the parallel-form digital luminance signal.
A third aspect of this invention provides an imaging system comprising an imager outputting an analog green signal, an analog blue signal, and an analog red signal in a predetermined progressive-scanning format; a signal source generating a first sampling clock signal having a predetermined frequency; a delay device delaying the first sampling clock signal into a second sampling clock signal by a time equal to half a period of the first sampling clock signal; a first analog-to-digital converter converting the analog green signal, the analog blue signal, and the analog red signal into a first parallel-form digital green signal, a first parallel-form digital blue signal, and a first parallel-form digital red signal in response to the first sampling clock signal, respectively; a second analog-to-digital converter converting the analog green signal, the analog blue signal, and the analog red signal into a second parallel-form digital green signal, a second parallel-form digital blue signal, and a second parallel-form digital red signal in response to the second sampling clock signal, respectively; a first signal converter converting a set of the first parallel-form digital green signal, the first parallel-form digital-blue signal, and the first parallel-form digital red signal into a set of a first parallel-form digital luminance signal, a first parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and a second parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a second signal converter converting a set of the second parallel-form digital green signal, the second parallel-form digital blue signal, and the second parallel-form digital red signal into a set of a second parallel-form digital luminance signal, a third parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and a fourth parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a first electric multiplexer multiplexing the first and second parallel-form digital color-difference signals into a first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a second electric multiplexer multiplexing the third and fourth parallel-form digital color-difference signals into a second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a first parallel-to-serial converter converting the first parallel-form digital luminance signal and the first multiplexed parallel form digital color-difference signal into a first serial-form digital composite signal; a second parallel-to-serial converter converting the second parallel-form digital luminance signal and the second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal into a second serial-form digital composite signal; a first electric-to-optical converter converting the first serial-form digital composite signal into a first optical signal having a first predetermined wavelength; a second electric-to-optical converter converting the second serial-form digital composite signal into a second optical signal having a second predetermined wavelength different from the first predetermined wavelength; and an optical multiplexer multiplexing the first optical signal and the second optical signal into a multiplexed optical signal, and outputting the multiplexed optical signal to an optical transmission line.
A fourth aspect of this invention is based on the third aspect thereof, and provides an imaging system further comprising an optical demultiplexer receiving the multiplexed optical signal from the optical transmission line, and demultiplexing the multiplexed optical signal into the first optical signal and the second optical signal; a first optical-to-electric converter converting the first optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the first serial-form digital composite signal; a second optical-to-electric converter converting the second optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the second serial-form digital composite signal; a first serial-to-parallel converter converting the first serial-form digital composite signal generated by the first optical-to-electric converter into the first parallel-form digital luminance signal and the first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a second serial-to-parallel converter converting the second serial-form digital composite signal generated by the second optical-to-electric converter into the second parallel-form digital luminance signal and the second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a first electric demultiplexer demultiplexing the first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the first serial-to-parallel converter into the first and second parallel-form digital color-difference signals; a second electric demultiplexer demultiplexing the second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter into the third and fourth parallel-form digital color-difference signals; and a signal combining device multiplexing the first parallel-form digital luminance signal generated by the first serial-to-parallel converter and the second parallel-form digital luminance signal generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter into a multiplexed parallel-form digital luminance signal, multiplexing the first parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the first electric demultiplexer and the third parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the second electric demultiplexer into a first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and multiplexing the second parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the first electric demultiplexer and the fourth parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the second electric demultiplexer into a second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal.
A fifth aspect of this invention provides an imaging system comprising an imager outputting a first analog green signal, a second analog green signal, an analog blue signal, and an analog red signal in a predetermined interlaced-scanning format; an analog-to-digital converter converting the first analog green signal, the second analog green signal, the analog blue signal, and the analog red signal into a first parallel-form digital green signal, a second parallel-form digital green signal, a parallel-form digital blue signal, and a parallel-form digital red signal, respectively; a first signal converter converting a set of the first parallel-form digital green signal, the parallel-form digital blue signal, and the parallel-form digital red signal into a set of a first parallel-form digital luminance signal, a first parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and a second parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a second signal converter converting a set of the second parallel-form digital green signal, the parallel-form digital blue signal, and the parallel-form digital red signal into a set of a second parallel-form digital luminance signal, a third parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and a fourth parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a first electric multiplexer multiplexing the first and second parallel-form digital color-difference signals into a first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a second electric multiplexer multiplexing the third and fourth parallel-form digital color-difference signals into a second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a first parallel-to-serial converter converting the first parallel-form digital luminance signal and the first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal into a first serial-form digital composite signal; a second parallel-to-serial converter converting the second parallel-form digital luminance signal and the second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal into a second serial-form digital composite signal; a first electric-to-optical converter converting the first serial-form digital composite signal into a first optical signal having a first predetermined wavelength; a second electric-to-optical converter converting the second serial-form digital composite signal into a second optical signal having a second predetermined wavelength different from the first predetermined wavelength; and an optical multiplexer multiplexing the first optical signal and the second optical signal into a multiplexed optical signal, and outputting the multiplexed optical signal to an optical transmission line.
A sixth aspect of this invention is based on the fifth aspect thereof, and provides an imaging system further comprising an optical demultiplexer receiving the multiplexed optical signal from the optical transmission line, and demultiplexing the multiplexed optical signal into the first optical signal and the second optical signal; a first optical-to-electric converter converting the first optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the first serial-form digital composite signal; a second optical-to-electric converter converting the second optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the second serial-form digital composite signal; a first serial-to-parallel converter converting the first serial-form digital composite signal generated by the first optical-to-electric converter into the first parallel-form digital luminance signal and the first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a second serial-to-parallel converter converting the second serial-form digital composite signal generated by the second optical-to-electric converter into the second parallel-form digital luminance signal and the second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal; a first electric demultiplexer demultiplexing the first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the first serial-to-parallel converter into the first and second parallel-form digital color-difference signals; a second electric demultiplexer demultiplexing the second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter into the third and fourth parallel-form digital color-difference signals; and a signal combining device multiplexing the first parallel-form digital luminance signal generated by the first serial-to-parallel converter and the second parallel-form digital luminance signal generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter into a multiplexed parallel-form digital luminance signal, multiplexing the first parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the first electric demultiplexer and the third parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the second electric demultiplexer into a first multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and multiplexing the second parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the first electric demultiplexer and the fourth parallel-form digital color-difference signal generated by the second electric demultiplexer into a second multiplexed parallel-form digital color-difference signal.
A seventh aspect of this invention provides an imaging system comprising an imager outputting a first analog green signal, a second analog green signal, an analog blue signal, and an analog red signal in a predetermined interlaced-scanning format; an analog-to-digital converter converting the first analog green signal, the second analog green signal, the analog blue signal, and the analog red signal into a first parallel-form digital green signal, a second parallel-form digital green signal, a parallel-form digital blue signal, and a parallel-form digital red signal, respectively; a first parallel-to-serial converter converting the first and second parallel-form digital green signals into a serial-form digital green signal; a second parallel-to-serial converter converting the parallel-form digital blue signal and the parallel-form digital red signal into a serial form digital blue/red signal; a first electric-to-optical converter converting the serial-form digital green signal into a first optical signal having a first predetermined wavelength; a second electric-to-optical converter converting the serial-form digital blue/red signal into a second optical signal having a second predetermined wavelength different from the first predetermined wavelength; and an optical multiplexer multiplexing the first optical signal and the second optical signal into a multiplexed optical signal, and outputting the multiplexed optical signal to an optical transmission line.
An eighth aspect of this invention is based on the seventh aspect thereof, and provides an imaging system further comprising an optical demultiplexer receiving the multiplexed optical signal from the optical transmission line, and demultiplexing the multiplexed optical signal into the first optical signal and the second optical signal; a first optical-to-electric converter converting the first optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital green signal; a second optical-to-electric converter converting the second optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital blue/red signal; a first serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital green signal generated by the first optical-to-electric converter into the first and second parallel-form digital green signals; a second serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital blue/red signal generated by the second optical-to-electric converter into the parallel-form digital blue signal and the parallel-form digital red signal; a signal combining device multiplexing the first and second parallel-form digital green signals generated by the first serial-to-parallel converter into a multiplexed parallel-form digital green signal; and a signal converter converting a set of the multiplexed parallel-form digital green signal, the parallel-form digital blue signal generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter, and the parallel-form digital red signal generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter into a set of a parallel-form digital luminance signal, a first parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and a second parallel-form digital color-difference signal.
A ninth aspect of this invention is based on the seventh aspect thereof, and provides an imaging system further comprising an optical demultiplexer receiving the multiplexed optical signal from the optical transmission line, and demultiplexing the multiplexed optical signal into the first optical signal and the second optical signal; a first optical-to-electric converter converting the first optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital green signal; a second optical-to-electric converter converting the second optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital blue/red signal; a first serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital green signal generated by the first optical-to-electric converter into the first and second parallel-form digital green signals; a second serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital blue/red signal generated by the second optical-to-electric converter into the parallel-form digital blue signal and the parallel-form digital red signal; a signal converter converting a set of the first and second parallel-form digital green signals generated by the first serial-to-parallel converter, the parallel-form digital blue signal generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter, and the parallel-form digital red signal generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter into a set of a first parallel-form digital luminance signal, a second parallel-form digital luminance signal, a first parallel-form digital color-difference signal, and a second parallel-form digital color-difference signal; and a signal combining device multiplexing the first and second parallel-form digital luminance signals generated by the signal converter into a multiplexed parallel-form digital luminance signal.
A tenth aspect of this invention provides an imaging system comprising an imager outputting an analog green signal, an analog blue signal, and an analog red signal in a predetermined progressive-scanning format; an analog-to-digital converter converting the analog green signal, the analog blue signal, and the analog red signal into a parallel-form digital green signal, a parallel-form digital blue signal, and a parallel-form digital red signal, respectively; a signal divider separating the parallel-form digital green signal into first and second sub parallel-form digital green signals, separating the parallel-form digital blue signal into first and second sub parallel-form digital blue signals, and separating the parallel-form digital red signal into first and second sub parallel-form digital red signals; a first parallel-to-serial converter converting the first and second sub parallel-form digital green signals into a serial-form digital green signal; a second parallel-to-serial converter converting the first and second sub parallel-form digital blue signals into a serial-form digital blue signal; a third parallel-to-serial converter converting the first and second sub parallel-form digital red signals into a serial-form digital red signal; a first electric-to-optical converter converting the serial-form digital green signal into a first optical signal having a first predetermined wavelength; a second electric-to-optical converter converting the serial-form digital blue signal into a second optical signal having a second predetermined wavelength different from the first predetermined wavelength; a third electric-to-optical converter converting the serial-form digital red signal into a third optical signal having a third predetermined wavelength different from the first predetermined wavelength and the second predetermined wavelength; and an optical multiplexer multiplexing the first optical signal, the second optical signal, and the third optical signal into a multiplexed optical signal, and outputting the multiplexed optical signal to an optical transmission line.
An eleventh aspect of this invention is based on the tenth aspect thereof, and provides an imaging system further comprising an optical demultiplexer receiving the multiplexed optical signal from the optical transmission line, and demultiplexing the multiplexed optical signal into the first optical signal, the second optical signal, and the third optical signal; a first optical-to-electric converter converting the first optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital green signal; a second optical-to-electric converter converting the second optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital blue signal; a third optical-to-electric converter converting the third optical signal generated by the optical demultiplexer into the serial-form digital red signal; a first serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital green signal generated by the first optical-to-electric converter into the first and second sub parallel-form digital green signals; a second serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital blue signal generated by the second optical-to-electric converter into the first and second sub parallel-form digital blue signals; a third serial-to-parallel converter converting the serial-form digital red signal generated by the third optical-to-electric converter into the first and second sub parallel-form digital red signals; and a signal combining device multiplexing the first and second sub parallel-form digital green signals generated by the first serial-to-parallel converter into the parallel-form digital green signal, multiplexing the first and second sub parallel-form digital blue signals generated by the second serial-to-parallel converter into the parallel-form digital blue signal, and multiplexing the first and second sub parallel-form digital red signals generated by the third serial-to-parallel converter into the parallel-form digital red signal.